Industry reacts to Clean Growth Strategy

Published: 16 October, 2017

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has released the government’s Clean Growth Strategy, and many throughout the industry have praised it.

This strategy sets out the government’s proposals for decarbonising the UK economy through the 2020s, explaining “how the whole country can benefit from low carbon opportunities, while meeting national and international commitments to tackle climate change”.

BEAMA released a statement confirming its support for the strategy, saying: “Compared to what has seemed to be a bit of a wasteland for new ideas in energy and buildings policy, the Clean Growth Strategy contains some exciting and ambitious plans for ‘cleaning up’ our energy system, transport and buildings in the coming decades.”

The Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE) particularly welcomed the commitment to expand the role of heat networks.

ADE Director Dr Tim Rotheray said: “The UK is poised to create a low-carbon, competitive economy, and combined heat and power, demand response and energy efficiency all have important roles to play. With commitments to deliver the smart energy plan and new industrial energy efficiency investments power, alongside a potential for £6 billion in energy savings, businesses and investors will have increased confidence to invest in new measures to help improve their competitiveness and meet our carbon goals.”

Manufacturers also showed support for the proposals outlined in the Clean Growth Strategy. Graham Russell, UK Managing Director of Viessmann, said: “This is the first step in securing a boiler efficiency revolution, which ensures efficiency gains and improvements in heating over the long-term. Viessmann will continue to work closely with the supply chain and government to ensure that consumers receive exceptional service using the best available, cost-effective heating innovations.”

However, some are not as happy, particularly when it comes to the presence of solar power within the strategy Solar Trade Association Policy Manager Chris Hewett said: “It does seem extraordinary that when a technology as vital to the world's future as solar is asking, not for any new public support, but for simply a level playing field with other technologies that the government is not moving to respond. This technology will dominate global power supply in years to come so the government needs to stop putting the UK solar industry at a competitive disadvantage.

“We will be looking to the Autumn Statement for the measures we need urgently to level the playing field for solar power.”

Lee Gannon, Managing Director at Flogas Britain, welcomed the report – hailing its recommendations around decarbonising heat in off-grid homes and businesses as ‘exciting news’ for the LPG industry.

He said: “Through the publication of its Clean Growth Strategy, the government has made clear its intention to reduce carbon emissions from off-grid UK homes and businesses. This includes a pledge to tackle the challenges faced by businesses using oil boilers in particular – and a motion to phase out the installation of high-carbon forms of fossil fuel heating in businesses throughout the 2020s, starting with newbuilds. At Flogas, we fully support these recommendations, and would like to congratulate ministers for taking such a proactive stance in this area.”

The release this summer of government projections suggesting the number of households in England will rise by 5.3m over the next quarter of a century has prompted Matthew King, UK and Ireland director of Actis, to propose a viable approach to ensuring we have enough homes to accommodate the growing population.

The first speaker at this year's Conference was Government Chief Construction Advisor Peter Hansford, who gave delegates an economic overview of the construction industry, and his thoughts on what lies ahead for merchants.